Pitch Black
by ASunInWinter
Summary: "Facing imminent death with no one to help her, Sarah Williams is rescued at last by the one man she'd all but forgotten. Can he help her find peace at last, or will the pain she's endured swallow her whole?" WARNING: Violence! Adult themes! RATED M.
1. Chapter 1

**My first fanfic EVER! Ahh! So nerve-wracking!**

**Please make sure to comment, good or bad, to help a poor young novice find her footing!**

**As I said in the description, I hit the ground running with this one. NO ONE IS SAFE. But ya gotta mix things up from time to time, right? :) ****Besides, as someone or other famous (aka Batman) once said: The night is always darkest just before the dawn.**

**Well, here it goes...**

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><p>She didn't want people to hear her sing.<p>

Sarah had never thought of herself as an accomplished singer, but it was something she loved – something that brought a sense of peace and fulfillment to an otherwise empty life. The few times that she had slipped, mentioning her affinity for song, people would infallibly try to coax that music out of her. She didn't like the feeling of being under the spotlight, of being forced to put her talent on display for others to judge. It was hers, this music, and hers alone. She cherished that sense of ownership fiercely.

A wry smile twisted her lips as she walked around her apartment, but it wasn't enough to stop her humming. She often hummed to herself when she was home; the tiny one-bedroom seemed somehow empty without music floating through it. When she was busy with other tasks, she'd turn her computer on and stream music from the internet. But every now and then, she just enjoyed hearing the sound of her own, secret song.

She walked across her cramped living room to the desk that sat in the far corner, enjoying the warmth of the chair from where the sun had warmed it. She looked out the window, as she always did, and just like always, she couldn't help but feel disappointment. The only thing she could see was the tan stucco of the building next door; her apartment was sandwiched on the lower level of a large complex, with no view of trees or sky from any of the windows. She'd told herself that it wouldn't bother her when she first toured it, but it ate at her. For a moment, she found herself standing on the shore of a lazy stream, reciting the words from her favorite book. She shook her head and smiled again. _It's probably just as well_, she told herself. _I'd never be able to get anything done if I actually had something to look at all day._

She sighed, turning back to her desk. She powered up her computer and opened an internet window. Her homepage popped up almost instantly.

"Welcome to SmartSite, the online course management system of the University of California at Davis. Please enter your username and password to begin."

Without even thinking, Sarah filled in the two waiting blanks and logged herself in.

"Welcome, Sarah. To access the resource materials for your currently enrolled courses, click the 'My Courses' tab. To access the Gradebook for your discussion sections, click the 'Gradebook' tab."

Sarah clicked the link that took her to Gradebook. As a graduate student, the only way she could hope to pay for her courses was through teaching - it was fortunate for her, then, that she wanted to eventually become a professor. It was a very different life from her undergraduate years; she laughed, now, thinking about how overwhelmed with work she felt she was at her tiny Pennsylvania college. _Ah,_ she thought wistfully. _What I wouldn't give to be back there now…_

Four years at that place had come and gone so quickly, and while she dearly missed the friends she'd made there among students, staff, and faculty, she was glad she'd decided to bite the bullet and move cross-country for grad school. _There are worse places to be spending your twenties than sunny California_, she reminded herself. She was twenty-two now, a fully grown woman. But still, the idea of going to grad school had really forced her to give up what vestiges of her childhood she held on to.

_Life goes so much faster than you think it does_, she thought to herself. _Time is short._

The last thought made her close her eyes, her eyebrows furrowing as a look of deep sadness creased her features. She brought her hand up to grasp the small heart-shaped locket that hung around her neck. Inside was a tiny picture and a lock of hair, all that she had left of the biggest piece of her heart.

_Especially with those we love most._

She could barely breathe at the thought of him, even now. It had been nearly a year since he died, and she still couldn't stop the crushing feeling in her chest whenever she said his name.

"Oh, my Toby." she whispered to herself. "I miss you so much."

It had been the bike that had done it – the bike that she herself had bought him for his eighth birthday. Her father and step-mother had been so helpful in picking it out, subtly getting details about Toby's favorite color and style through nonchalant questions asked over a year and more. She and her parents had giggled like schoolchildren when they were wrapping it; that memory was still one of her favorites of her time with them. To be sure, there had been some rough patches that the three of them had gone through. Sarah never quite got over her mother leaving her, and it took her a long time to accept that Karen and her father were better together than her mother and father had been. But eventually she came to realize just how much they cared for Sarah, and above all, how much they shared her love for Toby. In the end, it was Toby who had healed Sarah's heart and allowed all four of them to come together as a real family.

Sarah had thought her heart would burst when Toby realized what she'd gotten him. He shrieked as soon as her dad came staggering out of the garage with the poorly-wrapped bike in his arms. "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!" he'd yelled, alternating between jumping up and down and dancing while he waited impatiently for his dad to set it down. As soon as it came within reach, his tiny hands tore savage holes in the paper, and Sarah had felt sure he was going to pass out from the gasp he made as he beheld his new, neon-green Schwinn.

"IT'S A BIKE! IT'S A BIKE!" he was yelling, running around it in circles, looking at every shining inch. He looked up at Sarah then, a smile bright enough to shame the sun, and ran over to her as fast as he could. He tackled her hard enough that they both fell over laughing, his arms wrapped around her neck.

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" he yelled in her face, giving her a big kiss on the cheek before hopping off and running over to his parents. Sarah sat up and watched from the ground as he hugged his parents with equal enthusiasm. With that taken care of, he raced over to the bike and hopped on, kicking the kickstand back and taking off down the driveway. He zigged and zagged up the street, the silver spokes of the wheels flickering like glitter as he pedaled up and down.

Sarah stood up and dusted herself off, going over to where Karen and her father stood watching him. They both turned as she came over, and her father put an arm around her step-mother's shoulders, grinning.

"You know, Sarah," Karen said, laughing, "I think you may have picked a winner."

"Yeah," the young woman replied, laughing back. "Now the problem is going to be getting him off the bike long enough to eat his birthday dinner."

The three of them laughed, loud enough that she almost didn't hear Toby as he yelled to her from down the street.

"Sarah!" Toby yelled as he turned the bike around to come racing back toward them. "Look, Sarah, no hands! I'm Superman!"

She turned her head, already laughing at the image of her brother with his arms straight out in front of him like his favorite super hero….

…and turned just in time to see the car slam into him.

They said later that it was an accident; the man driving had had a seizure and lost control, careening through the intersection and into the tiny boy on his shiny new bike. There was no way of preventing it. No way they could have saved him.

They said Toby died before he even hit the ground.

To Sarah, it didn't matter; until the day she died, she'd never be able to get the image out of her head: those shiny new spokes, glistening in the sun, tinted red with her brother's blood.

It was her fault he'd been on that bike. It was her fault he'd died. It was her fault that Karen, the woman who'd been nothing but kind to her, had been unable to cope with the loss of her little boy and downed a bottle of pain killers. She'd gone to two funerals that month, one for her brother and one for Karen. Her father had disappeared shortly after; Sarah never saw him again.

And so it was that she found herself, broken-hearted and alone, on the shores of a distant sea. She knew it was her second chance, perhaps her last chance, to find some measure of peace. It was her hope that by studying music, the one thing she could still claim to love, that she would be able to find a place for herself in the world. If she could do that, then maybe, just maybe, she might one day find a way to be happy again.

A loud noise jostled her out of her melancholy thoughts. Her cell phone was buzzing, and she could see it was Kevin calling. Sighing, she picked up the phone.

"Hi Kevin," she said, trying to sound cheerful and failing utterly.

"Wow," Kevin said, "You sound bummed. What's up?"

Sarah shook her head before remembering that Kevin couldn't see her. "It's nothing." she replied. "What's up?"

Kevin sounded unconvinced, but he responded to her question. "Well, seeing as it's Friday, and seeing as we've been here for almost six months without seeing anything but this dinky little town, I thought maybe it would be fun if we took a ride up north and went camping for the weekend."

Sarah sighed again. "Kevin, you and I both know that we have too much work to go fool around in the woods…"

But Kevin interrupted before she could finish her lecture. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know the argument. But for Christ's sake, Sarah, we're going to end up going crazy if we don't get some down time soon. I found a great little spot in the Sierras just northeast of here. It's only a few hours away. And besides, it's actually _cold_ up there. They've been getting _snow_ the past few days."

_Toby loved the snow_, Sarah thought before she could stop herself. And it was true – he had. She had many happy memories of the two of them in their front yard having snow wars until Karen finally called them in to hot cocoa and a warm fire.

She really didn't like the idea of going away for the weekend. She wasn't joking when she said she had too much to do. But there was a tiny voice in the back of her head that was steadily growing louder. _You have to live your life for both you _and _Toby now,_ it said, _and what better way is there to honor his memory than to do something he loved?_

"You still there?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah, I'm here." Sarah said, coming out of her reverie. "What do you want me to say, Kevin?"

"Say you'll go."

She opened her mouth to tell him_ no_, but what came out instead was:

"Okay, fine. I'll go."

She could almost hear Kevin smiling through the phone. "Great! That's great. I'll pick you up at noon. I'll bring a tent and everything, you just bring a sleeping bag and some clothes. Sound good?"

_No,_ she wanted to say again. "Sure, that's fine. See you then."

They hung up, and Sarah covered her face with her hands. _Great job telling him no, Sarah._ Reluctantly, she exited out of her grading program and went in to her bedroom to pack.

Soon enough, Kevin was knocking on her door. Sarah grabbed her small pack and sleeping bag and stepped outside, locking the door behind her.

"Is that everything?" Kevin asked, looking around her.

"Yeah. I'm a light packer." she replied.

Kevin put a hand dramatically over his heart and staggered backward. "What? A woman who packs lite? I didn't think such a thing existed!"

Sarah aimed a solid punch at his shoulder. "Shut up, you." she said, but she couldn't help laughing. It was the reason she and Kevin had become fast friends – he was the only person she knew that could always make her laugh.

They hopped in the car and headed out. Kevin had turned on the radio, and both sat in comfortable silence as the scenery changed from the dusty, parched plains of their university town to the steep, lush hills of the Sierras. Kevin's jeep maneuvered easily around the twists and turns of the bumpy road, a solitary figure on a road less travelled.

Sarah couldn't help but feel her sprit lift with the terrain; she truly did love nature, and she relished the opportunity to be immersed in something so unchangingly beautiful. She said a silent thank you to Kevin, who was well aware of her love for the outdoors and her consternation over her cramped apartment. She was lucky to have a friend like him.

She looked over at him then, watching as he hummed along with the radio and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. He was a big guy, six foot four, and built like a linebacker. He had wavy blonde hair and beautiful baby blues, with a killer smile set in sun-tanned skin. He looked like the quintessential jock, but there was a brain behind that pretty face; he was going to grad school to get his doctorate in genetics.

When Sarah had first met him, she assumed he was like all the other men who'd shown an interest in befriending her; he was looking to score. But unlike the others, he hadn't given up when she'd told him, flat out, that she was "not interested." Instead, he laughed outright, his eyes sparkling with laughter.

"That's great," he had told her, "I'm sure my girlfriend will appreciate that."

As it turned out, Kevin really was looking for friendship. "It's important to have friends outside of your program" he said by way of explanation. "Eventually, you're going to get sick of talking about what you do all day. I want to know someone I can get a beer with and not have to worry about having nothing in common besides an interest in genetically engineered rice crops. You know?"

She did know. And that was how she'd found her closest friend. He didn't shy away from the darker parts of her personality, like others had. Instead, he did his best to support her and bring some happiness into her life. She didn't drink, as Kevin soon learned, so they'd found other ways to unwind. Like impromptu weekend trips.

Four hours after they'd left Davis, Sarah and Kevin pulled off of a tiny dirt road and drove two miles down an even tinier dirt road. The road ended in a small clearing rimmed by trees, and the dying sunlight dappled through the leaves to cast dancing shadows on the ground. Except for a small fire pit in the center of the clearing, the area was devoid of any signs of humanity.

"This is beautiful," Sarah said, stepping out of the jeep.

"I know, right?" Kevin replied, pulling a small tent bag out of the back seat and dumping the contents on the ground. "A friend showed this to me last month. This clearing is actually a little plateau on the side of the mountain – if you go and look over past the ring of trees, you'll see that it's all downhill slopes. It's too late in the day to see now, but when the sun is at full strength you can see down into onto the plain through the gaps in the trees. It's an amazing sight."

Sarah wandered over to the edge of the trees and was surprised at just how right Kevin was – not three feet after the start of the forest, the ground sloped steeply downward. She could just barely make out the reflection of water glinting in the sunlight.

"Is that a river down there?" she asked Kevin, going over to help him prop the tiny two-person tent.

"Just a stream." he replied. "It's really shallow. Can you help me roll this tree trunk over to the fire pit? We can use it as a bench."

Sarah went with Kevin and helped him roll a fallen tree trunk to the edge of the fire pit. She brushed off pine needles and twigs from the top of it, and brought a blanket out of her bag to spread over it. Kevin stomped off into the woods to gather firewood, and within an hour they had their small camp set up and a merry fire going in the pit.

They spent another hour cooking dinner, a simple meal of chicken and vegetables with rice, cooked over the fire. The sun had set while they ate, and by the time they cleaned up the temperature had dropped considerably. Sarah was glad for the warm fleece she had brought with her. She went to the jeep and pulled a thick parka out, laying it on the bench next to her. She didn't need it yet, but it would probably come in handy later tonight.

Sarah watched the fire from the bench and sighed, content. She could hear Kevin poking around in the jeep behind her, and heard the splash of water as he filled their cooking pot.

"Hey Sarah," Kevin said, the sound of his voice accompanied by sloshing water as he came back toward the fire.

"I'm going to use some of this for the dishes, but I thought we could use some for tea-"

Sarah barely had time to react as what seemed like a mountain of water splashed on her from behind. Kevin had tripped, dumping the pot of water all over his friend. Sarah jumped up from the bench, but it was too late – she was soaked. She quickly took off her fleece, glad to see that it had absorbed all of the water. Her parka looked three shades darker from where the water had landed on it, soaking it through, and her jeans were also drenched.

"Oh, shit, Sarah!" Kevin said, rushing around to her. "Shit, I'm sorry!"

"Oh, fuck you, Kevin!" Sarah said, punching him in the arm. She shivered violently in the rapidly chilling night air.

Kevin turned and ran over to the tent. "Did you bring another pair of pants?" he yelled to her.

Sarah cursed herself as she answered, "No, goddamn it. I planned on wearing these for the weekend." She shivered again.

"Take them off, then." he replied, rummaging around in the tent.

"Excuse me?" she replied, incredulous.

"They're soaked. You'll freeze if you wear them. Take them off, and we'll put them by the fire to dry."

"And what am I supposed to wear in the meantime?"

Kevin reappeared, a fluffy red towel in hand. "Here, wrap this around your waist. It's really thick, so it should keep you pretty warm. And it'll absorb whatever moisture is left on you."

He turned around while Sarah changed, turning back only after she'd sat herself down on the bench.

"I'm really sorry, Sarah." Kevin said sheepishly, coming to sit beside her.

"Jerk." Sarah said, punching him again. "Come over here and keep me warm before I freeze to death."

Kevin scooted next to her and reached into his pocket, pulling out a bottle and handing it to her.

Reading the label, Sarah squinched her face in disgust. "What is this? Whisky? You're giving me whisky?"

"I know you don't drink, Sarah, but it'll keep you warm. Just take a few sips."

She looked at the bottle again, ready to hand it back to him, but just as her hand moved, she felt something cold and wet land on it. In the next moment, the sky was filled with falling snow.

"Great." Sarah said. "This is just great."

Within a few minutes, the snow had started to fall hard enough that the ground was beginning to show a dusty white coating. Sarah shivered again and, with a great sigh, opened the bottle. The bitter liquid burned as it flowed down her throat, making her cough and wheeze.

"God," she said, sputtering. "What is this crap, gasoline?"

"Hey, this is Jack Daniels," Kevin said in mock offense, taking the bottle from her and downing several swigs. "This stuff is top notch."

Sarah continued to make faces, but she had to admit that it worked wonders. She felt warmth spread throughout her body, and before long she found herself reaching for the bottle to take another swig. She passed it back to Kevin, who also drank some, before putting the cap on and sticking it on the ground. Sarah's head spun a little, and for the first time she knew what it was like to feel tipsy. It wasn't altogether unpleasant.

"Thank you" she said, after a while.

"For what? I'm the one that got you wet in the first place, remember?"

"No, not that," she said. "I mean, for making me come. For bringing me here."

"Oh, that." Kevin replied, slipping an arm around her shoulders and bringing her into a one-armed hug. "You don't have to thank me. It's what friends do."

"I know," Sarah said, staring into the flames. "But you've been a good friend to me since the moment we met. I really appreciate that."

"I'm glad," Kevin said, scooting himself over until their sides smushed together. "I'm glad that I can make you happy."

"I just wish I knew how to repay the favor," Sarah said with a sigh. "I'm not really so good at spreading the happy around."

"Sarah, I could care less about your gloomy personality. That's not what made me want to get to know you."

Sarah gave a short laugh. "Fair enough. What made you want to get to know me?"

"This," Kevin said, and before Sarah knew what was happening, Kevin had grasped her chin with his hand and turned it toward him, crushing his lips against hers in a bruising kiss.

Sarah was so shocked for a moment that she didn't react – Kevin's arm pulled her in closer toward his body as his lips continued to work against hers, the smell of the booze on his breath filling her nose and making her nauseous. The smell knocked her back into her senses, and she jerked her head back.

"Kevin!" she said, trying in vain to push out of his arms. "What are you-" her words were swallowed by his lips; his tongue forced itself into her open mouth as the hand under her chin moved to hold the back of her head against him.

Sarah tried to fight, but Kevin was too powerful; she screamed against him, pushing her hands against his chest. But all he did was weave his hand through her hair, pulling tightly enough to make her scream in pain instead of surprise. When he finally broke from the kiss, a maliciously arrogant expression that Sarah had never seen before was plastered across his features.

"Aw, come on, Sarah. You didn't think this was a one-way street did you? I've been good to you, and you said yourself: you want to repay the favor." He used his grip on her hair to wrench her head to the side, and he leaned down to plant kisses down her neck. "It'll be fun for both of us."

"No!" Sarah screamed. "No, Kevin, let me go!"

Kevin began sucking on her neck, drawing her skin between his teeth before biting down hard. Sarah yelled, which only seemed to goad him on. He swung his outer leg around so that he straddled her, putting his weight on her and holding her in place. That freed his arm from where it had been wrapped around her waist, and he brought up his hand to kneed her breast. Sarah tried to use her hands to push his away, but it was like butterflies beating against a boulder; she was trapped.

He continued to bite and suck along her neck, switching to her other side and licking her ear. It was a very sensitive area for Sarah, and she couldn't help but twitch and jump as she continued to plead with him to stop. When the hand that had been kneeding her breast dropped down to begin lifting her shirt, she used both her hands to keep it down. They struggled with it for a moment, before Kevin released his hand. Sarah relaxed, minutely; at least she could keep her clothes on.

But her relief was short-lived. Instead of trying to raise her shirt from the bottom, Kevin grabbed her collar and tore down, exposing her bra-covered chest to the cold night air. Sarah screamed as Kevin's hand plunged down her bra, squeezing her breast until she was sure it bruised. Keeping her head immobile with his other hand, he lowered his head to the other breast and began sucking and licking.

He kept going, on and on, until eventually he raised his head to look at her.

"Isn't this nice, baby?" he said, a horrific grin crossing his features.

"Go to hell" Sarah said, spitting in his face.

A look of anger crossed his features, and before she could blink, the hand that had been in her hair released itself and slapped her across the face. The force of it put stars in her vision, and Kevin grabbed both of her arms and started shaking her.

"Now listen, you stupid bitch." he said. "I've been putting up with your whining for months now, and it's time I got my due. This is going to happen, whether you want it to or not. So you can either lie down and take it the easy way, or you can make this difficult."

"Fuck you." Sarah screamed.

Kevin only smiled. "Fine. The hard way."

He beat her. In her whole life, she'd never been hit. But he hit her now, and kicked her, beat her and bruised her until she could barely breathe. The snow had made a thick blanket across the clearing, and she found herself laying in it now. She felt his hands grab her hair, and she screeched as he flipped her on to her back. The towel was long gone, and her underwear proved useless at keeping the cold wetness of the snow at bay.

He straddled her waist, using her weakened state as an opportunity to unzip his pants. She could see where he bulged against the cloth of his boxers, and her mind froze with fear. In one smooth movement, he pulled his boxers down and exposed himself fully to the night air.

"So much mopey shit coming out of your mouth, all the damn time," Kevin said, pressing her forehead into the ground with one hand and wrenching her jaw open with the other. "It's time for me to put something back in it."

Without another word, he forced himself into her mouth. He was without mercy or gentleness, pushing his way down her throat with every thrust. She choked and suffocated under him, but he paid no heed. She felt sure she would pass out, but she wasn't so lucky. For what seemed an eternity, he continued to force himself into her, until with a last loud groan, he unleashed himself. She felt the scalding liquid of his semen flood her throat with bitter acidity.

Spent, he pulled himself out of her mouth and released her from his grip. She scrambled out from under him as fast as she could, turning to vomit up everything she had just been forced to swallow.

Kevin laughed. "So good you wanted a second taste, huh? Don't worry, Sarah. There'll be plenty of time for that."

He watched her as she stumbled upright and began heading for the trees.

"There's nowhere for you to go, Sarah." he said, calling after her. "It's deserted for miles in every direction. You'll freeze to death before anyone finds you."

She ignored him, barely hesitating as she reached the tree line.

"Come back over here, baby." she heard him say. "I'll keep you warm."

It wasn't until Sarah disappeared through the trees and began making her way down the slope that she finally heard his confident tone ebb. She'd made it about a hundred feet down the hillside when she saw the beam of a flashlight to her left. "Sarah!" Kevin was shouting. "Sarah! Get the fuck back here, right now! Goddamn it! Sarah!"

She moved as quickly as she dared, using the trees to catch herself as she basically slid down from one to another. Kevin didn't pursue her; he remained at the top of the hill, calling her name. She turned back to make sure she was out of his line of sight and tripped on a tree root. She fell to her knees and slid down into the base of a large tree.

Exhausted, freezing, and injured, she lay there unable to raise herself. She couldn't form any kind of coherent thought, and whether it was due to too many thoughts or none at all, she couldn't tell.

"Please," she heard herself whispering. "Please, help me. Somebody, anybody. Help me. I need you…"

Who did she need? She didn't know. But in the next moment, she heard a cautious footfall in the snow. Terrified, she tried to make herself as small as possible. She brought her knees up and buried her face under her hands, willing whoever it was to pass her by. It wasn't until she heard the voice that she finally looked up.

"Sarah?"

The voice was a low gravelly tone, and full of cautious disbelief. It was a voice that jogged her memory, a memory of a dream she'd once had a long time ago…

Sarah looked up and froze. Standing before her, in all his diminutive glory, was Hoggle. Her Hoggle. The friend she had made during her time in the Labyrinth. The truest friend she had ever known.

"But…" she heard herself whisper. "But you're not real…"

"Sarah, is that you?" Hoggle said, coming closer.

"H- Hoggle?" Sarah asked, her voice hoarse and broken from screaming and other things.

Hoggle had finally come close enough to see Sarah clearly in the moonlight, and he sucked in a sharp breath. "Sarah!" he said, concern thick in his voice as he rushed over to her. "Sarah, what happened to ye?"

_It's a hallucination_, she thought. _I'm in shock_.

"Sarah, say somethin'!" Hoggle lifted his hand, almost as if to touch her, but she flinched at the movement, and his hand fell back. "Please, Sarah, it's your old pal, Hoggle. There ain't nothin' you can't tell me."

Against her better judgment, she found herself answering the small man.

"There was- there was a man-"

She couldn't continue. The horror of what had happened, the memory of him in her mouth, made her sick enough to lean over and wretch. There was nothing left in her stomach. Hoggle came over and placed a cautious hand on her shoulder.

"Sarah, we need to get you outta here. We gotta get help."

But before she could respond, a new voice echoed through the trees.

"After all these years, Sarah, do you really think you could call on my subjects without my knowing?"

Her head whipped around toward the sound, her breath catching at the sight of a man stepping through the trees. He was just as she had remembered him, tall and lean, clad in shining black armor. A huge sword hung sheathed at his hip, and the paleness of his skin shone in the moonlight with a brightness that almost seemed to make him glow. He was a fearsome figure, and Sarah shrank back as he came nearer. He moved gracefully, slowly, almost as if she were the prey he had come to stalk. He continued to address her as he came nearer, his blackened boots leaving pools of dark shadows in the snow behind him.

"You really are an arrogant thing, to think you can call on the creatures of the Underground as you will. But you're not a runner anymore, and the consequences for summoning me without cause are dire-"

His words died suddenly on his lips as he finally grew near enough to see her. His eyes widened in shock as he slowed to a stop.

"_Sarah_" he breathed, his brows drawing together as a flood of emotions flicked across his features. The last of which was a quiet, murderous rage.

"What happened to you?"

Quick as a thought, he had crouched down beside her, his hand outstretched as if to brush her hair from where it hung across her face. But the movement was too quick, his expression too frightening, and Sarah reacted before she could think. She flung herself back from the approaching hand, sliding sideways. With the tree no longer behind her, she fell backwards down the hill, her back slamming into the ground as her body summersaulted backwards through the snow. The world swirled around her in dizzying confusion as she plummeted down, her already battered body assaulted from every turn by rocks and roots.

Without warning, the hill ended, and Sarah tumbled into a shallow stream. The water, not cold enough to freeze, immediately soaked through her thin clothing. The world continued to spin around her as she tried and failed to get her bearings – she was just too hurt. Thankfully she'd fallen into the creek with her head facing downstream – it meant that only a small amount of water found its way into her mouth. She choked and coughed, trying to keep her lungs clear, but the last of her strength was all but gone. Her body grew colder as darkness began to eat at the corners of her vision, and she suddenly knew that she was going to die.

_I didn't want it to end like this_, she thought to herself. _I wanted to keep going, to live for both of us._ She felt the warmth of tears as they ran down her face to mix with the icy water beneath her. _I wish it didn't have to end like this._

She didn't hear the sound of voices calling her name, of bootsteps crunching through the snow as they raced toward her. Something touched her shoulder, but she didn't know what; her eyes had closed without her realizing it, and she was too tired to open them again. Vaguely, she felt herself moving, being lifted. Her head flopped bonelessly against something hard, the water from her soaked body beginning to coat it.

Her ears cleared for a moment then, and she heard a voice rumble through the hard surface near her head.

"Warrick" the voice said.

Sarah heard a sound, almost like shifting sand, followed by the clink of metal. Another voice, this one further away, answered.

"I am here."

"Find the one responsible for this." came the voice by her ear.

"And when I do?"

"Keep him isolated until I return."

"Shall I take care of him for you, sire?"

"No," came the reply, in a voice that Sarah would have feared if she could have. "He is mine."

At that, her hearing faded, and she felt a warm wind begin swirl around her. She wanted to react to what was happening around her, but she couldn't. All she could do was issue one final thought before succumbing to the wave of darkness that crashed over her, dragging her down into its depths.

_I'm sorry, Toby._

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><p><strong>I hate to say I told you so, but... I told you so.<strong>

**PLEASE review! Thank you in advance! :D :D :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2! Woo! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you're encouragement is the best feeling in the world :D**

**This one is super short, but a necessary set-up for later plot points. Think of this as a teaser until I get to the next part.**

**As always, I don't own the rights to any of the original ideas. All I own is my love for this story, my admiration for its craftsmanship, and my loyalty to the ideals and morals it instills in all who come to know it.**

**That said, let's get goin'...**

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><p>Sarah sighed and turned the page of her book. She paused for a moment to give a large, cat-like yawn accompanied by an equally feline stretch. The blanket shifted beneath her as she moved, and she stuck a hand out to run her fingers through the grass. Both blanket and girl were well-warmed by the sun, and Sarah luxuriated in the feel of its cheerful brightness soaking into her skin. Even the cover of the little red book felt warm, the thin yellow of the simple title glittering like spun gold.<p>

She looked around her at the familiar sights and sounds of the park – she was laying not too far from the stream that wound it's way through the center, looping around ancient willows and underneath sturdy stone bridges. A gravel pathway paralleled the stream to her right, and just beyond it stood the edges of the forest. She squinted, watching as a bluebird hopped from branch to branch, singing brightly in the summer air.

Her attention shifted over to her left, across the stream, and her smile widened. Heading her way at brake-neck speed was Toby, his little legs pumping the pedals of his new bike hard as he raced a small sailboat being carried by the stream. He wore jean shorts and sneakers, with a blue top that matched the bright blue watch on his wrist. As he got closer, she couldn't help but laugh at the sight of his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth as he concentrated on the moving boat just ahead of him.

The sound of her laughter caught Toby's attention; he looked up and, seeing someone on the grass, slowed down. His head tilted to the side, trying to see who it was, and it stayed that way for another few feet until he finally got close enough to see Sarah where she lay. At the sight of her Toby slammed on the breaks and jumped off the bike as it came to a stop, letting it fall to the ground and slide as he used his own momentum to carry himself forward out of it's path. He stopped after only a few paces, staring at her with a look of confusion and concern written on his features.

"Hey!" Sarah said, lecturing him. "That bike's brand new! You're going to get it all scratched up if you toss it around like that."

Snapping out of his reverie, Toby turned and ran across the little stone bridge. He kept running until he stood just in front of her, looming over her like a storm cloud.

"What are you doing here?" Toby asked her, upset.

"I'm reading a book, Toby. Just like always. I'm sorry if my being here isn't cool, but the park's big enough for both of us." she turned back to her book, but Toby reached a hand down and grabbed it out from under her fingers.

"Toby! Give it back!" Sarah demanded, annoyed. "What's with you?"

"How did you get here?" Toby asked her.

She shook her head, an annoyed little smile on her face. "I don't know, Toby. I walked?" She started to laugh, but his face was so serious that she held back.

"No, Sarah." Her brother said, shaking her head. "That's not how you got here. You need to remember."

"I'm having a brain fart, okay?" She said, swallowing. _Why _can't_ I remember?_ she thought to herself. _I should be able to remember how I got to the park…_

But the more she sat there thinking about it, the more her stomach began to knot. _What does it matter what happened_, a voice inside her was saying. _You're in the park, it's a beautiful day, you and Toby and everyone you love are safe and happy. Let it go._

The voice was right; it was a beautiful day, the birds were singing… but stubborn thing that she was, she couldn't let it go.

"I… I don't remember" Sarah said, her voice strained.

"But you do remember, Sarah," he said, a small frown on his face. "You have to."

He reached his hand up then, bringing it across her forehead. He pulled it away, showing it to her, palm out.

It was covered in blood.

"No," she said, pushing herself to her feet and backing away from the tide of remembered feelings, remembered thoughts. "No."

"Yes, Sarah." Toby said.

"I don't want to go back." she said, her voice thick with memory. She looked away from his hand, up to his eyes. Those beautiful, sad eyes.

"Please, Toby, please just let me stay."

"But you _promised_!"

Toby yelled, and it was loud enough to bring all the other sounds to a halt. They stood there, facing each other, as the beautiful colors of the picturesque park faded into an unending whiteness.

"Toby…" Sarah said, pleading, as she reached her hand beseechingly toward him.

"You promised." Toby said, firm. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he stared at her, unblinking.

"You promised to live for _both_ of us." he said. "You can't give up now."

"It's just so hard…" she said. "It's so hard not to have you with me."

"I'll never leave you, Sarah." he said, his little face so serious. "I'll always be with you."

The tears began to fall down Sarah's face, slow and silent. "Do you promise?" she whispered through her tears.

"I'll keep mine, if you keep yours."

Sarah ran over to him and hugged Toby tight. His arms wrapped around her and held on for what she wished was a hundred lifetimes. But, at last, the tiny arms of her brother withdrew, and he drew back from her just enough to see her face. He raised a hand, and with infinite gentleness, he wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"Turn back, Sarah," Toby said. "Turn back, before it's too late."

It took all of her strength to turn from him, the face of the little boy she loved so much. He was the baby, it was true; but he was, and always would be, her greatest source of strength. As she walked away, she couldn't help but remember the last lines to Toby's favorite story, the one that she had read to him almost every night.

"I'll love you forever,"

She took the first step, and walked into a thick mist that swirled around her ankles.

"I'll like you for always,"

A second step, the whiteness brightened, the mist swirled upward.

"As long as I'm living,"

A third, into the light and mist.

"My baby you'll be."

A fourth, her last, and she was gone.

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><p><strong>As I said, pretty short. But stay tuned! The next chapter will feature a whole lot of Jareth, and maybe even a <em>bit<em> of Kevin... (mwa ha ha...)**

**Thanks again, and keep reviewing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey all! Sorry for the late update - it's been crazy so far, but what can I say. That's grad school. **

**As always, none of the original characters or back story is mine. They are my legos, and with them I build my world.**

**An un-ending stream of thank-yous to everyone who has taken the time to read, favorite, and/or review. You keep this newbie's finger's flyin!**

**With that said, let's get right to it:**

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><p>Sarah awoke in a world of confusion. Her body ached everywhere, and it was the stabbing pains in her ribs that reminded her she was still breathing. She tried to calm herself, to organize her thoughts, but the first thing she processed was how thirsty she was – her swollen tongue scraped against her dried-out mouth like cotton against a sand dune. She could feel herself burning up, feel what precious little moisture was left in her body trickling down her forehead like tears. She tried to swallow, but the complete lack of moisture just made her choke instead.<p>

She coughed, fighting to open her throat, and her eyes fluttered open. Red filled her vision, and it wasn't until she turned her head to the left that she realized she was, in fact, staring at the ceiling. She was lying down. Her fingers twitched, and she felt a blanket as soft as a cloud beneath it; a bed. She was lying on a bed. As she turned her head further, she could see the carved wood of the canopy frame, a beautifully dark mahogany hand-carved with details she couldn't discern in her feverish state. A matching burgundy duvet covered the bed, with ivory sheets beneath. Beyond the bed, stone walls met stone floors, softened in their harsh grey facade by lush tapestries and simple but elegant furniture. Heavy drapes were pulled across a large window, but even the faint light that managed to penetrate them hurt her eyes terribly. She turned her head to the other side then, trying to turn away from the light, and was startled to see a man sitting beside the bed.

He seemed young, not much older than her, with light brown hair that brushed the pale skin of his jaw and light green eyes complimented by the green of his tunic. His clothing perfectly mimicked the medieval style of the room; cream-colored sleeves covered his arms, and a few silver rings hung on his fingers.

Sarah's eyes travelled back up to his face, and it wasn't until then that she realized he'd been speaking. She tried to ignore the dull roar that filled her ears and focus on what he was saying.

"…don't think she's lucid. But she's awake, at least. That's a good sign."

Her eyebrows furrowed. _Who…?_ She managed to think. She watched his eyes move away from her face for a moment, and she followed his gaze. He looked over to a figure wreathed in shadow, leaning against the wall opposite the bed where she lay. She couldn't make out any of the figure's features, except that the person was tall, thin, and seemingly male. The mysterious figure said something in reply, but it was too short for Sarah to catch. She turned her attention back to the man by her bed.

The man noticed her looking back at him, and he smiled. His eyes were kind, his smile gentle. He leaned toward her a little, watching her closely as he addressed her.

"Sarah. Sarah, can you hear me?"

She tried her best to reply, but she just couldn't collect herself enough to speak. Waves of heat continued to wash over her, leaving her dazed and overwhelmed. Fortunately enough, the man seemed to sense her struggle.

"Don't try to speak. Just nod if you can understand me."

The barest movement of her head - it was all she could do. But it was enough to earn her another smile.

"Very good, Sarah."

He reached out and picked up her right hand where it was laying on the bed. His own hands were deliciously cool. The smile faded from his features, and his eyes grew serious as he continued to speak.

"Sarah, you're very sick. Most of your injuries have healed, but you have a high fever. It could be very dangerous if we don't bring it down soon. Do you understand?"

She nodded.

"Good. I have some water here, and I'd like you to drink as much as you can."

The hand that had been holding hers moved to gently lift her head from where it lay on the pillow. He brought the simple wooden cup to her lips, tipping a few drops of water into her mouth.

The feeling was so good, it was almost painful; galvanized by the rejuvenating liquid, she tried to grab the cup from the man's hand and pour the entirety of its contents into her dessicated body.

"No, Sarah," the man said, gentle but firm. "You've been too long without – if you drink all of this at once you'll make yourself sick. Let's try one sip at a time."

Sarah ignored him, trying to pry the cup from his hands. But her hands were like butterflies, weak and feeble against his strong grip. Eventually, exhausted, she let her hands fall back to the bed. The man sighed, readjusting his hand where it held her head, and tipping another small taste of water past her lips.

For how long it went on, she couldn't say. But the pattern was endless. Sip, wait. Sip, wait. Sip, wait. Sarah found that even the simple act of swallowing exhausted her, and some small part of her was relieved when the man finally put the cup back on the table beside him.

Even in her fevered state, Sarah could feel the water washing through her body like a fresh wind through a musty cave. The man gently placed her head back down on the pillow and checked her pulse. He counted silently to himself before nodding and pulling his hand back.

"Better already." he said.

The water had done much to clear her head, enough that she finally registered the oddity of her situation. She didn't remember everything that had happened in the woods, but she did remember tumbling through the snow. She'd slipped, and fallen down the hillside. Someone had been there, had caught her off-guard. Not Kevin. Someone she once knew…

"Where-" She finally managed, her voice barely a whisper. "What-"

The man silenced her with a gesture. "Don't. You'll sap what's left of your strength."

She shook her head, trying again, but the man interrupted her.

"You're sick," he said, his tone earnest. "You're very sick. I know that the water must have cleared things up a bit, must have allowed you to realize that this is all unfamiliar, strange even. But I promise you, you're safe here. We're taking care of you. Your only concern should be getting well. All the answers you're looking for can wait."

"Who-" she said, her eyes drifting to the man in the shadows.

"My name is Aiden" the man beside her said, drawing her attention back to him. "I'm a doctor, of sorts. My assistants and I will stay with you until you are well. When that time comes, I promise I'll answer every question you can think to ask."

Aiden paused, looking down at the blankets as if he were trying to gain his composure. After a moment, he looked back to her. His voice was softer than before, gentler.

"You weren't just sick when you got here, Sarah. You were very badly hurt. I've healed most of those injuries, but in order to help you heal the rest quickly, I need to know what happened. I know someone else had to have been with you; someone else had to have done this to you. Can you tell me who it was, Sarah? Can you tell me what happened in the woods that night?"

She couldn't respond. The mere thought of that night was enough to bring another wave of heat and sickness. She fought to keep her head above water, but the riptide of illness pulled her relentlessly down into a seething, roiling ocean of fire.

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><p>Jareth watched Aiden sigh heavily, pulling back from Sarah's feverishly prostrate form. The goblin king pushed against the stone beneath him and walked over to stand before the brown-haired healer, who had stood as well.<p>

Stretching his arms above his head and arching his back, Aiden yawned.

"I thought I told you to sleep." Jareth said to him.

Aiden replied with a grin. "I'll sleep when you do, my friend."

The king glared at the young man before turning his attention to Sarah. She looked horrible. Her entire body was soaked with sweat, her skin was ghostly pale, and her hair hung limp and lifeless on the pillow around her. There were dark circles under her eyes and even darker bruises along her skin. Sarah had been through hell, and it showed.

"She'll come back from this." Aiden said, reading the king's thoughts. "There's nothing more you could have done."

"I was angry at her, Aiden." the king replied, his eyes hard and distant. "Angry that she'd beaten me, angry that she turned me down even after I offered her the world. I thought I didn't care what happened to her."

"There was no way you could have known that this was going to happen." Aiden replied, his voice firm. "You had a right to your anger, and there's no need for remorse. She was the one that chose to go back Aboveground, not you."

Jareth was silent. Emotions raged within him, but he could not choose which one would hold sway. He was still angry with her – she had rejected him so completely, and had forgotten him so quickly. She'd given no thought whatsoever to what her rejection would do to him once she left. Her rejection had hardened him, had walled him off from the part of him that had wanted so desperately to be happy. He had continued to rule as before, for the most part, carrying on with his role as the stern but fair King of the Goblins the Underground had known for centuries. But he didn't smile, or laugh. He didn't play with the wished-away children or offer comfort while their Runner tried to win them back.

He didn't sing.

Something was missing from the Goblin King; since Sarah had gone, he was somehow... _less_. He'd thought that emptiness had been replaced by anger, by resentment. He'd vowed to enact vengeance upon her, should she ever try to contact the Underground or it's inhabitants again. He wanted her to know pain, like he knew it. To know what it was to have your heart ripped from your chest and the air sucked from your lungs. He'd wanted her to hurt.

His wish, it seemed, had come true. She'd been hurt. Over, and over, and over. In the week since he'd found her, he had slowly retraced the path of her life after her departure from the Labyrinth. He'd travelled Aboveground, from her tiny California apartment back to her house in Pennsylvania. He'd looked upon the spot where Toby had been killed, seen the room where Karen had been found shortly after. He'd been to the cemetery, and visited their graves.

And the campground. How many hours had he spent there, staring at the space by the fire, trying over and over to piece together what had happened that night.

His mind flashed back to that moment in the woods, when he'd first seen her face in the moonlight. When he'd first seen the pain, and the fear, and beneath it all, a fathomless emptiness rivaling his own.

_I didn't want this_

He had to stop; he refused to continue following this path, refused to admit where it would lead. His thoughts fought and churned against him, threatening to overtake his hard-won self-control. With long practice, Jareth took his roiling senses and shoved them down as far as they could go until they no longer threatened to overwhelm him.

Later. He would work through them later. For now, he would focus on what was most pressing.

"What of this fever?" he asked.

Aiden frowned, clearly not fooled by the abrupt change of subject. Nevertheless, he replied.

"It is a remnant of the frigid temperatures she was exposed to, combined with extreme shock and blood loss. She'll need to be closely watched until it breaks."

"Why can't you heal it with magic, like you did her other injuries?"

"You know I can't. She's human. Too much magic in a short period could be just as deadly as this fever, if not more so."

Jareth frowned, his eyes still watching Sarah's labored breathing. Aiden continued to speak.

"I healed the broken bones and the internal bleeding, because those were the most life-threatening injuries. The fever is secondary, like the bruising. It will pass."

The King was silent for a moment before he replied. "You may use whomever and whatever you require. See to it that she heals from this." He turned, refusing to acknowledge the strength of his desire to watch her himself, and began striding toward the door.

"My lord, where are you going?"

"To speak with the prisoner."

Jareth continued walking, his visage fading with ever step until, just as he reached the door, he disappeared completely from view.

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><p>Kevin wasn't scared.<p>

At least, that's what he kept telling himself. But the darkness that he had been floating in since his capture had left him disoriented and afraid. He had no idea how long he'd been in here; hell, he had no idea where _here_ was. He couldn't imagine how it was that he seemed to constantly be floating. There was no floor, no walls, no ceiling. There were no other voices, no ambient lights, no sounds of ghosts or zombies moaning through the dark. There was nothing, absolutely nothing. And somehow, that just made it all the more terrifying.

Even in the seeming eternity that he'd been there, he still hadn't been able to figure out just what happened that night in the woods. He'd been having such a good time – sure, Sarah had run off, but he knew she'd be back. She was depressing as hell, but smart enough to figure out that she'd die of the cold before she found her way out of those woods. He had been confident enough in that knowledge that he didn't really bother going after her. After she'd disappeared out of sight he'd waved the flashlight around a few times, but he'd quickly gotten bored and gone back to sit by the fire and enjoy the rest of his whisky. No, he definitely wasn't concerned.

Eventually, they always came back.

He didn't know how many women he'd brought up to that deserted campsite – over a dozen, at least. Some were like Sarah, lonely little nobodys with sob stories a mile long. Others were friendlier, more open, more willing to share. Every one of them was a whore, of course; all women were. A tool to use for his pleasure, easily charmed with a kind word and the promise of a girlfriend that didn't exist. He discarded them just as easily as he found them, according to whim or boredom. If they played along and did everything he told them to do, he'd drop them off by their houses with a smile and a wave, knowing they'd never be stupid enough to tell. The ones that didn't play… well, Sarah would probably stumble across what was left, if she stayed out there long enough.

Now, that wasn't to say that he didn't enjoy a challenge. Sarah had put up a fight, and he had to admit that he enjoyed the idea of breaking her to his will. To see her, lying beneath him in the tent as he pounded into her over and over, that glassy look in her eyes… just thinking about it made him hard. His hand gravitated inside his pants, stroking himself as he watched the fire. A slow grin spread across his face, distorted in the flickering light. Yeah, he was going to enjoy fucking that little tramp.

He'd been so captivated by the image he'd pictured that he didn't notice the man approaching until he was already standing in front of him. "Shit!" Kevin yelled, jumping up and extracting his hand. His dick immediately went soft – he wasn't into dudes – as he regarded the man across from him. He was tall, with broad shoulders, pale skin, and dark hair. Everything else was obscured by some sort of… was that armor he was wearing? _Black_ armor? Kevin squinted across the flames, his focus slightly blurred from booze, and tried to see the man more clearly.

"Who the fuck are you?" Kevin asked point-blank.

"That is of no consequence." the figure said, his voice a deep echo in the night. "You, however, are a prisoner of the King. You will remain here until stated otherwise."

"What?" Kevin said, half-laughing. "What the fuck are you talking about? Are you high or something?"

The figure made no response, seemingly frozen in time. Kevin continued to stare at him, and the man met his gaze unflinching.

Kevin looked away first. He didn't know what this guy's deal was, but it made him uneasy. He was sure the man didn't know why he was up here – no one did, he always made sure of that – but he didn't want the little bitch to come crawling back and start running her mouth. It was better if he left. With him gone, the man standing in front of him would probably leave too. That meant Kevin wouldn't get to enjoy the fruits of his labor, but… there were more nights to come. And more women.

"Look, dude," Kevin said, fishing out his keys. "I don't know what your deal is, but I'm not into guys, so no offence, but this little role-play thing you got going on isn't working for me. I'm just gonna go."

Kevin turned to leave, keys in hand, only to find half a dozen other men standing between him and his jeep. All of them were dressed the same way as the first guy, full suits of black armor. They had no weapons that he could see, but their stance said enough: if he tried for the jeep, he'd fail.

He spun around, facing the first man. "What the fuck! What the fuck is this shit?"

"You will stay." the man said tonelessly.

Kevin opened his mouth to speak, but a sound to his left made him turn his head. Another figure was emerging from the trees, swiftly crunching through the snow as he approached. This man was taller than the others, and leaner too, but with a suit of armor more elaborate than any Kevin had seen yet. He walked into the light, and Kevin noted pale skin, weird-looking blonde hair, and, confusingly, two different colored eyes. He tried to tell himself that none of that was enough to make him afraid, but the look in that man's eyes…

"You are Kevin." This new man said, his voice as hard and cold as steel.

Kevin shivered at the sound, but the alcohol he'd drank made him bold; he stood his ground. "Yeah, that's me. Who the fuck are you?"

"You came here tonight with Sarah Williams." the man continued, ignoring his question.

This new bit caught Kevin off-guard. How did he know he'd come here with Sarah? Was this her boyfriend or something? Kevin had been so careful to make sure no one would come looking for her if she suddenly disappeared…

"I don't know who you're talking about." Kevin said. "There's no one else here but me."

It was the wrong answer. In the next instant, Kevin found himself on the ground, kneeling, blood coming from his nose and his arm twisted behind him at a terrible angle. He hadn't even seen the man move, but he heard his voice now, whispering softly in his ear.

"Don't lie to me, _boy_." the man said, his voice hissing with anger. "I know she was with you. I know what you did to her. Admit it, now, or I'll kill you before you can draw breath to scream." The man moved as he spoke the last words, twisting Kevin's arm even further and eliciting a scream from the kneeling figure.

"Alright!" Kevin exclaimed, half-way between a gasp and a scream. "Alright! I brought her here, I admit it!"

"And what did you do to her?"

"Just let me go, man!"

Another jerk, and Kevin screamed again.

"Tell me what you _did_, Kevin. Say it out loud."

"I hit her! I beat the shit out of her and then I fucked her! Please, let go! You're gonna break my fucking arm!"

As suddenly as it he'd grabbed him, the man released him. Kevin fell forward, into the snow. He heard the clink of armor as two men came over and dragged him painfully to his feet. They turned him around to face the man, and Kevin only saw one thing in the man's eyes: pain.

"Your arm is not the only thing that will break by the time I am finished." the man said. He nodded to the two guards, and in the next moment Kevin heard the sound of shifting sand. The world spun, turning faster and faster, and all went black.

When he'd woken up, he'd found himself in his current state. At first he'd thought he was dreaming, or something. He still wasn't entirely sure that wasn't the case. But somehow, he felt in the pit of his stomach that this wasn't a dream. This place was real, wherever it was, and he was trapped in it until the man from the woods decided otherwise.

He tried counting the seconds as they passed, but quickly grew bored. There was just no way of making this bearable, except to try and sleep as much as he could. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his spinning thoughts, when a voice sounded from behind him.

"Enjoying your stay, Kevin?"

Kevin's eyes snapped open, and he tried his best to spin toward the sound of the voice. There, illuminated by some unseen light, the man from the woods stood before him. His dress was different this time, but no less strange. His shirt was white and loose, like Fabio would wear, with a wide leather belt around his waist and what Kevin could only think of as chick's leggings. They were dark grey and covered his legs until they met knee-high black boots. The boots and the belt matched the gloves he was wearing, also black leather. It was nuts, all of it. But Kevin was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

"I hope my oubliette hasn't been too taxing on you. It's a new creation of mine, a bit of an upgrade, so to speak, and I was quite eager to test it on one such as yourself."

Kevin started babbling before he even knew what he was saying. "I don't know what you're after, man, but whatever it is, I'm sorry. Just let me outta here. Just tell me what I did: I swear I won't do it again. Just don't-"

He was cut off suddenly by the man's upraised hand. "Save your whining. I've no need to hear it. I'm in a foul mood, Kevin, and you are the root of it. You'll not be forgiven for it so easily."

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything to you!"

The man's eyes narrowed, and he took a step toward his floating prisoner. His tone was full of rage, and he flung his next words at him like knives. "Not to me!"

"Then what…" recognition dawned across his features, and his voice became even more urgent. "Sarah? Are you talking about Sarah? Cause I swear, man, she didn't say anything about having a boyfriend."

The man quieted at that, and smiled. It was the kind of smile nightmares are made of.

"I know about the others." the man said, his confiding tone almost a whisper. "I know what you did to them. What you were going to do to Sarah."

Kevin wasn't sure which direction he was facing in that moment, but the fear that flooded him drove all the blood from his face, leaving him pale.

"I know all of it, Kevin. And you will face death for it. But before you do-"

The man paused, raising his hand. He had a dagger in it, small but razor sharp. It was not enough to kill him, that much Kevin knew. But in the man's eyes Kevin could see a world of possibilities.

He saw them all, and began to scream. But the man... the man only smiled.

"Before you do, Kevin, you will know pain."

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><p><strong>Mwa ha ha! What a lovely punching bag for the Goblin King to play with :D<strong>

**I'd love to know if you'd like the details of this encounter - I don't think I'll include them right away regardless, but I'm still trying to determine if it's worth devoting the pages to writing it out. I think said pages may be better served advancing the plot between JxS instead. Rest assured, however: this is not the last we've seen of dear Kevin. **

**With that, I leave you. Read and review! **


	4. Chapter 4

**At long last, an update! **

**I apologize for the lapse in new material - this part of my story gave me such terrible writer's block. Sarah and Jareth have a very long road ahead, and I wanted to make sure that I set it up in a way that did justice to that. There are dangers untold, just beyond the horizon; and they're coming faster than you think.**

**As always, I do not own the idea nor the characters of the Labyrinth. Only the story is my own.**

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><p>Time passed in a blur. Sarah didn't know how much of it had gone by when she next awoke; all she knew was that she felt better. She opened her eyes and found herself in the same bed as before, albeit alone. Lying there for a moment, she breathed deeply and tried to get her bearings. She remembered a slew of faces, a tumult of half-understood conversations and half-remembered dreams. None of it made much sense to her, but she was left with a strong impression that she had been ill for some time. The people here, whoever they were, had nursed her back to health. It didn't mean that she trusted them, not at all. But they had some serious points in their favor.<p>

She pushed herself up, leaning her back against the headboard and breathing heavily from even that simple exertion. Her eyes, cleared of fever, scanned the room and finally processed the details she'd previously ignored.

_Where the hell am I?_ she thought. _This isn't a hospital. Far from it. It looks like a castle…_ _do they even have those in California? What am I doing here?_

She desperately tried to remember what had happened, what had brought her here. She remembered her apartment, and Kevin calling. She remembered packing, and his jeep loaded with gear. They were going on a trip. _A camping trip_, she remembered. _In the woods…. in the snow…._

Sarah barely had time to lean over the side of the bed before a hot, acrid stream of vomit burned up her throat and spilled out of her mouth. She remembered.

_The campsite. _

_Kevin's "accident."_

_Her soaked jeans._

_The whisky he just happened to have on hand. _

_She remembered the moment, that terrifying moment, when she realized what he really wanted from her…._

She moaned, covering her face with her hands. Her breathing speed as the images continued to flood through her battered mind.

_The bruising kiss. _

_His hands on her body._

_Her rejection. _

_His rage._

She could feel the walls of the darkened room coming closer. The walls were closing in on her. She needed space. She needed to get out. To get away.

_His fists in her face. _

_Hands, pushing her down into the snow. _

_The dull thud of leather boots slamming into soft flesh._

She fell out of the bed, barely noticing the cold stone floor as she scrambled toward the drapes. Drapes meant windows. Windows meant air….

_His weight pinning her down._

_His hands, opening her mouth. _

_Pushing himself inside of her. _

_Slamming into her,_

_over _

_and over…._

Sarah fell through the drapes and stumbled at the unexpected space behind them. She kept stumbling, blinded by a sudden, intense brightness, until she caught herself on the smooth hardness of a short stone wall. She raised her head, squinting against the light, and gasped at the sight before her.

She was outside, on a small balcony overlooking a vast city. The buildings were mostly low, three stories at the most, and their construction was ramshackle at best. Narrow winding streets wove around in every direction, and she could see several open plazas interspersed randomly throughout. Everything was stone and wood; she couldn't see any telephone lines, lamp poles, cars, buses, nothing. She turned her head to the left and saw that she truly was in a castle. Its large grey walls formed an imposing summit to the city proper. She could see a wide stone bridge leading to the main entryway, and she could almost make out the shapes of the small colorful dots moving in efficient lines to and fro. Something about the shapes were odd; they seemed smaller than they should have been at this height, almost as if there were children down there instead of men… she shook off the thought and turned her head to the right, finally registering the sight beyond the city. What she saw caught her breath in her throat.

It was a labyrinth.

For the second time that day, Sarah's mind was flooded with memories. She pulled herself along the edge of the balcony, moving toward the Labyrinth, her eyes fixed yet unfocused as images danced in her eyes. But this new onslaught did not sicken her; quite the contrary. More than anything, she focused on the faces of Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus. Friends. She remembered her friends.

But did they remember her? She didn't know why she'd forgotten this place, why she'd thought it all a dream or a fantasy. She wondered if they felt the same about her, if years without calling for them had made her just as insubstantial. Her knees grew weak at the thought, and she slowly sank to the ground. There was no way the friend's she'd known here would have stood idly by while her life unraveled. Not if they still cared about her. No, she was alone. Always alone.

* * *

><p>Jareth was walking towards his room, humming tunelessly to himself as he casually strolled down the stone corridor. Warrick walked beside him, stoic as always. Jareth stretched his arms sinuously, a fierce pleasure flashing through his eyes and looking for all purposes like some lethal jungle cat.<p>

"My lord, I merely suggest a brief respite from your visits to the prisoner. He is approaching his limit."

Jareth smiled, his sharp teeth glinting in the light. "Now, now, Warrick. I've no plans for our 'prisoner' to die anytime soon. I'm having far too much fun for that."

"The full force of your attentions is enough to challenge the strength of any fae. And fae he is not."

Jareth's eyes flashed again, filled with a dark and terrible violence. "He is weak. Even for a human, he is weak."

Warrick remained silent, and after a moment Jareth sighed. He blinked, and though his expression remained serious, the violence had fled from his eyes. He turned to the man beside him, clasping a hand to his shoulder.

"You are right, my friend, as always. I will be more careful."

They both looked up at the sound of footsteps hurriedly approaching, and a moment later Aiden turned the corner.

"I thought I'd find you here." he said, approaching the two men.

Jareth looked at the other man, noticing his unusually serious expression.

"What is it, Aiden?"

Aiden took a deep breath, exhaling sharply. "Sarah is awake."

Jareth would have shifted himself to her room right then, but Aiden begged for time. So, instead, Jareth dismissed Warrick and walked purposefully through the halls as Aiden filled him in. The healer didn't know what had happened exactly, only that one of his assistants had gone to check on her and found the bed empty and evidence of sickness on the floor. She'd immediately gone to get Aiden, and the two of them had returned to the room. It hadn't taken long to notice the open door to the balcony. Aiden went out, expecting to see her standing by the balcony rail or sitting in one of the two small chairs that accompanied the table situated to the right of the door. Instead, she had managed to squeeze herself into the minute space between the furthest chair and the railing. His assistant cleaned up the mess in the room while he tried to speak to her, to coax her out of her bolt-hole. When she'd remained unresponsive, he'd come to seek out Jareth.

"She needs to be back in bed." Aiden said as they opened the door and entered her room. "I'm amazed she made it as far as she did given how weak she must be. But if she doesn't get off of that cold stone it could throw her right back into a fever."

"I will take care of it." Jareth said, walking toward the balcony. He noted that the room had been cleaned, the sheets changed. A hand on his arm brought him to a halt. He looked back at Aiden.

"Tread carefully, Jareth." the healer said, his expression solemn and earnest. "It's clear from her distress that she remembers the woods. But there's no way of knowing if she remembers the Labyrinth too."

"She does." Jareth said, turning to go.

"That may be." Aiden replied, his grip firm. "But even if she acknowledges that you saved her, you are still a man."

Jareth paused for a moment as he thought upon the truth of Aiden's words. Eventually he turned once more to go - and this time, Aiden let him.

* * *

><p>Sarah pressed herself into the stone wall beside her. She'd found the smallest space she could find out there on the balcony, too weak to get herself to the warmth that was waiting inside. She fought off a shiver. The right side was pressed against the frigid coolness of the castle wall, and the wrought iron of the chair against her back pushed painfully into her skin. She'd brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, tilting her head down until her hair fell forward.<p>

She sat there unmoving as the hours passed, silent in the shady darkness. Her body was throbbing with remembered pain, her mind endlessly replaying the thing that had been done to her. She didn't seem to be able to stop this happening; her mind would not be still. She put a hand up to cover her eyes, it's smooth roughness brushing her skin. _Now listen, you stupid bitch. I've been putting up with your whining for months now, and it's time I got my due._ There were other images there too. Her brother's broken body. Karen lying on the ground, an empty shell of herself. Her father's eyes, desolate as he turned and walked away from her. Pain and fear. His voice, again and again. _Come back over here, baby. I'll keep you warm._ How could Toby expect her to keep her promise? She felt deep in her spirit that she would never be healed; as if she could never rise out of the well of despair she'd been thrown into. She had been there to help Toby, and others when they needed her. But who was there to help her?

A sound snapped her out of her thoughts. She could hear, faintly, the voices of two men standing in what she assumed was the room she'd come from. One was definitely Aiden. But the other….

The conversation stopped, and Sarah's heart began to pound as a single pair of booted footsteps walked calmly across the balcony stone. She pressed herself even further into the small space, trying to make her mind as quiet as a feather in the breeze and as still the stone that surrounded her. But her body shook and shivered in the cold, and her spirit was overwhelmed once more with fear and hatred and shame.

She heard the footsteps stop, heard the soft brush of cloth and the creak of leather as the man knelt down on the stones. She knew, without looking, that it was the Goblin King.

"Sarah."

The sound of his voice made her flinch. She pressed herself in tight against the solid rock at her back, curled in on herself as small as she could, biting her knuckles, one arm up over her head in protection. She wished the stone would absorb her, take her in and soak up the hurt and the guilt and the wretchedness. She was full of hate; hate for the man who had done this, hate for the loneliness that had led her to him, hate for the loss that had made her alone. She felt hate, as well, for the man who knelt before her – after all, he was a man. A man who had once stolen her family and filled her with fear. How dare he try and make it better?

But Jareth sat there, not too close, and talked to her in a quiet and measured tone, and the dappled rays of the setting sun spread it's golden light across the stone; and after a while she looked out through the tangle of hair that covered her face, and saw the solemn stillness in his eyes.

"Will you come out, little owl?" Jareth said softly. "You are sick still, and these stones are cold."

She turned away from him, desperate to disappear. But somewhere in the back of her mind, a faint voice called to her.

_You promised, for both of us…._

It was hard. So very hard to keep this promise. She could scarcely bear the thought of letting him touch her. But she knew she was too weak to move on her own, and she could feel the truth of his words in her body. The cold was weakening her. She needed to move.

Slowly, stiffly, she began to move away from the wall. She looked over at Jareth and saw a single gloved hand extended toward her, hanging in the air as the breeze fluttered the fabric of his sleeve. He did not press her, or urge her forward. He did not try to grab her or help pull her from the ground. He merely sat, silent and unmoving, waiting.

She tentatively reached forward with a shaking hand, her eyes never leaving his own. Such strange eyes, one green, one blue. They held neither pity, nor sorrow, nor gentleness, nor rage. They held only a sense of sure calm, steady and unmovable, and it was that clear and utter neutrality that allowed Sarah to quell the bile that rose in her throat and push past the terror that threatened to overwhelm her. Her hand slid forward, into his, and after a long moment his fingers closed around her.

Their progress was slow. Sarah was weak, much weaker than she realized, and the cold had left her trembling. But Jareth remained calm and sure, a rock for her to cling to as they made their way, step by step. She had cringed when he'd put his other arm around her waist, fighting not to tear away from him. It was his voice alone that had held her, softly reassuring and charged with simple honesty. He continued to speak to her as they passed into the room, encouraging her to put one foot in front of the other, describing how close she was to the bed. Aiden was in the room waiting for them, and he pulled the covers back far enough that Sarah was able, with help, to slip between them.

She felt herself immediately contract, curling up into a ball as she lay on her side. The sheets and curtains, she noticed, had been changed to a soft blue that rested easily on her eyes. She took a shuddering breath as Aiden bent down within her view.

"You need to sleep, Sarah."

The thought made her shudder. If she was this haunted while awake, she could have little hope of avoiding nightmares while she slept. She wasn't tired, not really - she was far too anxious to be drowsy. Aiden seemed to sense this; he turned, looking up to Jareth, who had come to stand next to the healer.

"She needs to sleep, Jareth."

Jareth nodded and sat carefully on the edge of the bed, bringing one leg up so he could angle himself to see her. His sharp profile was starkly outlined against the dying rays of the setting sun, and his shaggy light hair seemed as fierce as a lion's mane. He placed his hands on his leg, making sure Sarah could see they were empty and relaxed. His gaze still held that same sense of calm. They looked at each other for a moment, and Jareth seemed to study her face. Finally, he spoke.

"You fear your dreams."

Sarah swallowed and nodded once, drawing her arms more tightly around her knees. Jareth looked down at his hands, and Sarah's eyes followed. A peach had appeared, and he stared down at it for a moment before offering it to her.

Sarah shuddered, remembering the last peach he'd given her. She'd already made it clear that she had no desire to be anywhere near him, or any man for that matter. Why in the world was he trying to push this on her now?

Jareth seemed to sense her discomfort. "The peach will make you slumber, but I control the dream. Eat the peach, Sarah. You will not suffer in your sleep. I swear it." With those words, he placed the soft fruit on the bed beside her and stood. Her eyes watched the Goblin King as he walked out of the room, shutting the door softly but firmly behind him as he left.

She looked back at the peach. It looked harmless enough, sitting there. It was perfectly round and ripe, with the faintest blush of red across it. It was the full, ripened look of the harvest, that perfect state all fruit attains just before the first sere kiss of frost. She'd maintained a fondness for peaches in the years after her run in the Labyrinth, even after she'd forgotten the truth of her time there. Knowing the origin of this peach made no difference – the desire was still there. She wanted to bite into it, to feel the softly sweet juice as it filled her mouth and slid over her tongue.

"Go ahead, Sarah." Aiden coaxed softly. "The Goblin King will keep his word. You'll be safe tonight."

Nothing happened for a long moment. Then, ever so slowly, Sarah's hand reached forward. Her fingers brushed the delicate skin of the fruit before her, reveling in its velvety softness. She drew the peach back toward her. A flicker of hesitation, of fear, flashed through her eyes. She wasn't sure this was a good idea. But she would sleep, eventually. And she knew what was waiting for her if she didn't take this chance. Even now, she could hear him in her head. _So good you wanted a second taste, huh? Don't worry, Sarah. There'll be plenty of time for that._

She forced the memory back, just barely. But there were more waiting to consume her, and she knew it was more than she could willingly take. She closed her eyes, and bit into the peach.

This time, there was no dizziness. There was no vertigo, no disorientation, no fear. A wave of gentle warmth washed over her, bathing her in its comforting heat. She felt herself relax, felt the tension drain away, felt her turmoil go with it. She surrendered herself to it willingly. How could she ever have feared this? For the first time in a long time, she was warm. She was comforted. She was safe.

If she dreamed, she did not remember it.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to everyone who has had the patience to wait for me. Now that I've crossed this hurdle, I'm hopeful that the rest will flow much more easily across my keyboard. As always, any reviews are priceless and warmly welcomed by this novice writer! Happy new year to all :) <strong>


	5. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hello all -

As I'm sure you're aware, FanFiction is currently in the process of enforcing content guidelines…. as such, although I will hate to lose any of you, I want to let you know that I'll be moving over to adultfanfiction(dot)net for future postings (under the same name, ASunInWinter). I will upload everything already published to that site.

I am so very sorry for the inconvenience this causes. It's not fair - but as we've all come to learn, that's just the way things are. I know I haven't posted in months, but I fully intend on finishing this story once my first year of grad school wraps up (within the next two weeks). Also, if I post anywhere else I will let you know. In the meantime, I plan to continue posting here and go down with the ship.

Thank you, ALL of you, for following my story like you are - your messages to me in my absence have been endearing and sweet and inspiring on so many levels. I hope to see you all over in the adult site. It is such a joy to hear from all of you, and putting that in jeopardy is incredibly hard for me to do. Especially as a new writer still gaining my feet!

So, in short: follow me over there when you can. I hope to figure that site out (I am absolutely puzzled by the site layout, so it might take me a while) and start posting soon.

All my love,

Sarah, aka, ASunInWinter


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